Do I have to be a LICENSED apprentice for all hours worked in OJT in order for them to count? I worked a few years without a license for a small electrical contractor who is also his own master electrician. Had an App Lic for 18 months now. Do the previous years count towards 8000 hrs?

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Thanks for replying. I'm in Texas. Yes I can get the hours verified, but am not sure if they count.

Also since my previous employer didn't verify my being licensed while I performed electrical work, could he or I get penalized? I was an electrician at a factory when he and I met. I learned on the job under a master electrician (running conduit, sizing wire, installing services, wiring panels, etc). The factory went out of business so then I went to work for him. When I started working for him he assumed I had a license, and I didn't know I needed one since I didn't need one working at the factory.

Now with my current employer, I've had a license for 1 1/2 years.

Sorry for going on and on, but I wanted to give a clear picture of my situation. Thanks.

I think you can get all your hours to count if properly verified. I believe the "form acceptable to the department" is on the journeyman applicationor a letter with all the appropriate information may be submitted.

(a) Individual applicants may meet requirements for on-the-job training by providing verified proof, in a form acceptable to the department, showing that the applicant has been supervised for the requisite period by one or more persons licensed by any jurisdiction as a master electrician or master sign electrician as appropriate for the license.

(b) A master electrician or master sign electrician shall provide verifiable documentation of the on-the-job training hours of an applicant they have supervised up on the request of the department. This proof must be submitted in a form acceptable to the department.

As far as getting in trouble for performing work while not being a registered apprentice… I highly doubt YOU can get into any trouble, your boss for employing an unlicensed apprentice to do electrical work… not really sure. I would think as long as your are now properly registered they probably wouldn't do anything.

Except as provided by Section 1305.003, a person or business may not perform or offer to perform electrical work or residential appliance installation unless the person or business holds an appropriate license issued or recognized under this chapter.

I do have a question for you though. My company is starting a plant in Texas (automotive supplier) and has asked me to look into electrician licensing requirements. You say as a factory electrician you were not required to hold a license. I’m looking at Sec. 1305.003, what exception to licensing did this fall under?

Did you work for a chemical, petrochemical, refinery, natural gas, etc. factory (exception #14)?

Or did this fall under work as a maintenance person (exception #8)?

I found exception #8 confusing because Texas actually does have a maintenance electrician license classification. However,this seems to be a limited license which would not permit someone to run conduit, size wire, install services, wire panels, etc. In Chapter 73 electrical maintenance work is defined as the following:

Quote:

Electrical Maintenance Work. The replacement, or repair of existing electrical appurtenances, apparatus, equipment, machinery, or controls used in connection with the use of electrical energy in, on, outside, or attached to a building, residence, structure, property, or premises. All replacements or repairs must be of the same rating and type as the existing installation. No improvements may be made that are necessary to comply with applicable codes under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1305. Electrical maintenance work does not include the installation of any new electrical appurtenances, apparatus, equipment, machinery, or controls beyond the scope of any existing electrical installation.

Can your previous Employer get in trouble for working an unlicensed worker? Yes he can. Will he get in trouble? Only person that can answer that would be the one from the State that is handling your application. Depends what kind of mood he/she is in.

Back in the stone ages when I got my license it was so easy here in SC. Not the test. The requirements.
In fact for the contractors, I don't think any service in the trade even was required?

Now for the masters exam, it was a requirement.

I only worked for a contractor for a few years. The rest of my training came from the railroad and facilities maintenance.
So I was able to take the contractors exam and then get the masters license in addition by sending my test scores to the masters authority.

The test for contractors is the masters exam. See what I mean about SC. Kinda screwy if you ask me. LOL

In SC, a contractor and a masters license are two different things, but you take the same test.